Our Projects
Current Community Outreach Focus
In 2023, the JLP membership selected mental health as the next area of focus. The league has partnered with the United Way to revitalize the Healthy Minds, Healthy Neighborhoods Program as well as Supporting Student Success (S3).
A collaborative effort by the Junior League of Peoria (JLP) and Heart of Illinois United Way (HOI United Way). This initiative is designed to provide essential social-emotional education to parents and caregivers within our community.
Program Highlights
Healthy Minds, Healthy Neighborhoods offers neighborhood-based educational seminars that include dinner and childcare for all guests, ensuring a supportive and convenient environment for learning.
What You Will Learn: Our program, developed by HOI United Way, covers five critical areas of social-emotional health:
- Self-Regulation
- Decision-Making
- Self-Awareness
- Building Relationships
- Social Awareness
These seminars, held at the Peoria Playhouse Children’s Museum in 2024 and 2025, are free for all participants. While parents and caregivers engage in valuable training, JLP volunteers will provide dinner and entertainment for their children.
Additional Benefits:
- All families attending a seminar received an explorer pass membership to the Peoria Playhouse Children’s Museum, offering further opportunities for family learning and fun.
Supporting Student Success (S3)
Junior League of Peoria has also invested $5,000 in grant funds to support HOI United Way’s S3 programming in 2024. This funding is distributed among the top five ranked elementary school programs that requested resources for Social Emotional Learning (SEL) to improve youth mental health. The schools benefiting from these grants include:
- Whittier Primary School
- Lincoln K-8 School
- Elise Ford Allen Academy
- RISE Academy
- Annie Jo Gordon Community Learning Center
For 2025, we are increasing our support to $8,000 and reaching 3 more schools!
These funds support various social-emotional programs such as:
- Yoga Classes
- Social Emotional Learning Incentives
- Therapy Dogs
- 7 Mindsets Positive Behavior Interventions
- Support Supplies
- Mindfulness Activities
- Self-Care Supplies to build self-esteem
Previous Community Projects
Sonar Tide Sculpture Restoration
1983: The Sonar Tide project began, with JLP being an integral part of bringing the sculpture by Ronald Bladen to Peoria.
2020 – 2022: Much needed restoration funded by the Junior League and Sharon & John Amdall in partnership with the City of Peoria, the Peoria Riverfront Museum, and Bradley artists Fisher Stolz and Jaci Willis.
You can visit the iconic sculpture in downtown Peoria between the Peoria Civic Center & City Hall.
Previous Community Outreach Programs
Kids in the Kitchen
Kids in the Kitchen is an effort to educate and empower children to learn about nutrition and make healthy food choices. JLP implemented cooking classes and nutrition education in the Dream Center Peoria, Neighborhood House, and Glendale Commons. This project was handed off by JLP to Peoria Grown in 2022 where the program continues to teach children about nutrition and healthy choices.
Done in a Day
(DIADs) These are short community projects that are planned out in advance and completed by our members in one day. These may include, working with children, interacting with special needs adults, room flips, or volunteer support. Through these projects, the JLP supports other non-profit organizations in the area.